Your A to Z Guide to the reality of Brexit after 31 December

What Boris Johnson is suggesting is that the UK will be trading on WTO terms, and without Australia’s better weather.

Ready for Brexit is independent and objective. It aims to help businesses and organisations manage the challenges and opportunities that Brexit brings. See member benefits  〉 Yesterday, we saw the novel sight of a former Conservative premier refusing to support her successor on a critical issue for the government. Theresa May told Parliament: “The government [...]

The UK has returned to the days of the gentleman amateur in the EU trade negotiations. Neither Cummings or Frost have any experience in trade negotiations, and their tactics are fatally flawed

Only a quarter of UK businesses are ready for Brexit

Ready for Brexit is independent and objective. It aims to help businesses and organisations manage the challenges and opportunities that Brexit brings. See member benefits  〉 Most companies are rightly focused on the managing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the risks of a No Deal Brexit at the end of the year are [...]

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK is still aiming to leave the EU at the end of the year.

  A.  Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty set out the rules for leaving the European Union. As with most negotiations, it assumed the leaving country would present its proposals for the post-withdrawal period – which would then be finalised with the other members. The UK government, however, has still not yet set out its post-Brexit trade objectives, […]

The general election result has provided a landslide victory for the Conservative party. Boris Johnson will now be putting everything into ‘getting Brexit’ done. But, what does that mean for your business?

The outcome of next week’s general election is difficult to call. One thing that is certain is that the uncertainty surrounding Brexit won’t immediately lift.

If Boris Johnson wins the election, the UK will officially leave the EU by the end of January.

Yet leaving the EU will simply be “the end of the beginning,” in Churchill’s famous phrase. The really hard part of Brexit will be about to begin. And there will be just eleven months left before the end of the Transition Agreement on 31 December 2020.

Brexit is up in the air. But it hasn’t gone away. Pretty soon, if Boris Johnson wins the election, the UK will have left the EU, and suddenly things will start moving very quickly indeed.

The good news is that the latest UK GDP figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the UK economy is not in recession.

Brexit is up in the air, but forget it and you put your business in peril. Never has the phrase “fail to prepare and you prepare to fail” been so fitting.

Ready for Brexit is independent and objective. It aims to help businesses and organisations manage the challenges and opportunities that Brexit brings. See member benefits  〉 (Shutterstock) We have a Brexit extension. We also have an extension of our Brexit uncertainty. We still do not know how Brexit will look. There are at least three [...]

Yet again, Brexit has been delayed and No Deal is off the table, for now. The UK and the EU have agreed upon a Withdrawal Agreement, but parliament has only provisionally agreed to this Brexit deal. Provisional is the keyword here.

Too many companies are sitting on the sidelines watching to see if the Prime Minister will be able to reach a deal with the EU and the party who is propping him up, the DUP.

This is not a bad dream. In the event of a No Deal Brexit if you import or export to the EU it is highly likely that your tax bills will go up.

No business operates in a vacuum. We are all reliant on external suppliers for our products and services. If one link in your supply chain is not ready for Brexit this could seriously upset your own Brexit prep.

Global traders know all about the Rules of Origin, they’ve been playing by them for years. EU traders don’t. They haven’t needed to for a generation. But that could be about to change. Here’s what you need to know about Rules of Origin.

Are you ready for No Deal by default? The wheels of UK politics and the judiciary could stop the UK from crashing out of Europe, but with 43 days left until the official leave day, No Deal and consequently no transition period is the default. Is your business ready for it?

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to have parliament prorogued. Have you, like many SMEs and large businesses, put your Brexit work on hold in the hope that a satisfactory deal will get done in the next few weeks or that Brexit will be delayed again?

There are now just 58 days to prepare for a possible no deal Brexit on 31 October. And between now and then, there may well be the disruption of a General Election.

The UK Government is cancelling holidays and putting minsters and civil servants on high alert to prepare for a No Deal Brexit on 31 October. As the Financial Times noted today: “The country is now run by people utterly focused on delivering Brexit and resolute in their readiness for that departure to take place without a deal.”

New UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said last week that the UK must leave the EU by 31 October, “do or die, come what may.” UK, EU27 and EEA companies now have less than 100 days to prepare for a No Deal Brexit. That’s less than 70 working days; less if you plan to take a summer holiday.

This is a dangerous time for businesses in the UK. We are entering the school holiday period, and the focus on Brexit is being diminished by a lack of resources and the distraction of sporting successes.

Many people are understandably confused by the phrase “a No-Deal Brexit” and imagine it means ‘no change’ to current arrangements.  Unfortunately, the opposite is likely to be the case.

Life for the haulage industry operating between the UK and the EU/EEA is likely to get more complicated in the event that the UK exits the EU on the 31^st October 2019 without a deal.

Around a quarter of a million UK businesses, and many more in the EU27, will face major changes in their VAT arrangements if or when the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 31 October.

It’s now over 25 years since we stopped having to file Customs Declarations for trade between the UK and other EU members. Premier Margaret Thatcher’s vision of a Single Market and Customs Union covering the entire EU became real in 1993. Overnight, companies disbanded the teams of people who had previously dealt with all the paperwork that had been required.

Whatever happens over the next few weeks or months, if you trade with the EU and/or are considering trying new trade routes outside of the EU, it’s worth applying for an EORI number now. It’s free and it takes ten minutes.

If you only trade within the UK and Europe, Rules of Origin will not have concerned you. Brexit could make these Rules become a serious concern to you.

The cliff edge was averted. The EU granted us a reprieve. The Article 50 extension runs up until 31 October, but we could exit the EU in a matter of weeks if a deal is agreed upon before then.

A No-Deal Brexit could very easily be handed to the UK at 11 pm on Friday night. The parliamentary votes and cross-party talks continue and there have been attempts to block it, but No-Deal still remains the default position while an alternative solution is yet to be found.

The Government and Parliament are still to decide on the country’s Brexit fate. It’s frustrating, infuriating and ridiculous, but with ten days to go until 12 April, that’s what is still dominating the news headlines. Unless they sort something out rapidly, we will be leaving the EU without a deal and without a two-year transition period next week.

The EU has just stated that it feels that it is likely that the UK will leave the EU without reaching a Withdrawal Agreement. The UK Government also continues to state that while it is still seeking to reach an agreement with the EU, it is ready for a no-deal Brexit.

The blocking of the third Meaningful Vote on the Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Deal doesn’t also halt what is currently an inevitable crash into a no-deal Brexit next week. Although it could still be avoided, a no-deal Brexit on March 29th remains the default position. Is your business ready for it?

Watching the people in charge of our exit from the EU is like looking on as children play chess for the first time. Whatever happens this week, small businesses can’t afford to just watch and wait and see.

Ready for Brexit is designed to steer your business around the extra obstacles that Brexit is putting in its way and towards the opportunities that it has created. We are a one-stop-shop.

Brexit is already hitting business hard. And if no deal is agreed, consumers are going to wake up on March 30 to face a shocking reality. This is why Ready for Brexit has just launched the one-stop shop consumer guide to Brexit.

There are thousands of companies and sole traders working across the UK who are under the impression that their livelihoods will not be affected by Brexit. Chances are they are not reading this. They don’t see the need.

Depending who you listen to, WTO rules make global trading as simple as a game of Monopoly. Here at Ready for Brexit, we keep out of the politics, we just stick to the facts. And the fact is WTO rules are no simple fall back.

Do you use the CE marking on any goods or products that you sell into the EU27 countries?  If you do, you may need to move quickly to protect your position, given that the chances of the UK crashing out of the EU on 29 March in a No Deal Brexit are rising by the day.

Not only are the politicians going around in circles, they are going around in their own circles; coming up with plans that either Parliament, the EU or both even at this late point still seem unlikely to agree to. While they spin their lines, business has to start thinking straight.

It’s time to think for yourself. Look at Brexit from the point of view of your business. Don’t leave it to the Government to protect your livelihood, at this point in time the economy doesn’t look to be their priority.

Ready for Brexit was set up soon after the referendum in recognition of the fact that reaching a deal that the Cabinet and the EU could agree on, and that parliament would go on to ratify, was going to be one of the most complicated negotiations ever.

Ready for Brexit is independent and objective. It aims to help businesses and organisations manage the challenges and opportunities that Brexit brings. See member benefits  〉 (Shutterstock) We are under no illusions. A no-deal Brexit is now highly likely. We could leave the EU without a deal in less than eighty days. Every player in [...]

Britain exits the EU on March 29th, 2019. As you can see from our ticker, that is just 100 days away and counting. We still don’t know what form it will take. Right now, the UK exiting with no deal is the default position.

The vote on the Withdrawal Agreement has been postponed. The Brexit uncertainty continues. We’re close to 100 days until Brexit day and a no-deal Brexit has never looked more likely.

Brexit is complicated. And, it is only going to get more so. If you’ve let the ins and the outs of the negotiations pass you by until now, hoping that some clarity would emerge that’s unlikely to happen any time soon.

The Withdrawal Agreement is not a done deal until it has been ratified by Parliament and this is not a certainty.

Reality is biting. There is a Withdrawal Agreement on the table. It’s not ideal, but the Institute of Directors, the CBI, and the National Farmers Union are among the pillars of industry who have put their weight behind it.

China is being heavily talked up by various trade delegations as a fantastic alternative or supplementary market to the EU. The author of Selling to China: A Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Stanley Chau, writes in our latest Analysis piece that trading with China is relatively easy. 

How do you prepare for Brexit when you don’t know what the outcome is going to be? That’s the question that Deborah Price, managing director of British Boxers asked in our latest interview. And it’s one that we can all identify with.

Companies big and small are now stockpiling for Brexit. No deal is something that none of us want, but it’s an ominous storm cloud that looks increasingly likely to break over our isles.

The Ready for Brexit Brexsure audit tool launched this week. Months in gestation, the Brexsure Brexit audit tool has been carefully designed to give a pretty accurate picture of how smoothly your business will sail through Brexit.

SMEs are getting increasingly frustrated with the continuing uncertainty over the process by which the UK will exit the EU. The large PLCs are throwing millions of pounds at their designated Brexit teams whose goal is to have a contingency plan for every possible Brexit scenario.

A footnote within furniture group DFS’s preliminary financial report this week drove home how the Brexit effect will impact on almost every business in the UK in some way. DFS wrote that it hopes that its partner suppliers will increase the near-shore supply of the timber and fabric that they supply them with.

We knew that unpicking the UK from the EU was always going to be one heck of a puzzle. Sadly the Government seems no closer to solving it. It’s time to take their preparation notes for a no deal Brexit seriously.

The Government’s latest batch of no-deal planning notices is not an easy read. I’ve read them cover to cover…

Once upon a time, soon after the referendum, a bunch of experienced business people began to realise that Brexit probably wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.

Whichever side you stand on in the Brexit debate, the UK’s withdrawal from the EU is a mess. Unpicking decades of regulations that bind the UK to the EU was always going to be tricky. Ready for Brexit was set up in recognition of this.

We are an impartial business advice service …

The latest news on Brexit makes depressing reading. The post-Brexit forecasts predict talent drains, shortages, and hold-ups at the borders. The big fish are publicly stating how they are getting ready for Brexit, SMEs must prepare for Brexit too and there is no time to lose.

This week, we’ve learned about large corporations such as…

Understandably, many SMEs have put off planning for Brexit until the day arose when they actually knew what they were planning for. Now that the Government has published its first batch of Technical Notices advising what businesses need to do in the event of a no deal Brexit, it is vital that you start planning for Brexit now.

The Government may call it “unlikely”, but that doesn’t mean that SMEs can simply ignore its raft of documents detailing how a No Deal Brexit will impact most businesses, either directly and/or indirectly…

It’s been over two years since the referendum on Brexit and, as our countdown ticker shows, we’re just months away from our official exit from the EU. Many SMEs have understandably tried to get on with the work at hand while waiting to see what the terms of Brexit would be and how it will affect them.

After all, it’s difficult to prepare for something when you don’t know exactly what you’re preparing for…

Ready for Brexit has been set up to help businesses deal with the challenges and opportunities created by Brexit. In particular, we are here to assist SMEs who, unlike the large PLCs, don’t have the resources to create a full-time Brexit planning team.

Free movement of people and goods between the UK and EU ends on 31 December. So employers who depend on immigrant workers, and the workers themselves, need to understand the new rules and procedures.

Welsh red meat exports are worth £200m a year, with over 90% of the trade being with the EU.

The UK will leave the EU single market and customs union on 1 January, but the country is far from ready

Responsible businesses will be looking to put in place contingencies for a ‘No Deal’ scenario on 1 January

Businesses and individuals need to prepare for major change from next January as the Transition Period comes to an end

“The UK Government has made it clear that it has no intention of even attempting to achieve regulatory alignment with the European Union as far as chemicals are concerned.”

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK is still aiming to leave the EU at the end of the year.

Ready for Brexit is independent and objective. It aims to help businesses and organisations manage the challenges and opportunities that Brexit brings. See member benefits  〉 Shutterstock The UK is due to leave the European Union at the end of this month. But there will then be a Transition Period until the end of December, [...]

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) pleads for a free trade deal as it reveals that UK car production fell by 16.5% in November 2019. Anna Tobin reports

UK food and drink exports saw the largest growth in sales to China in the third quarter of 2019, finds the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) after analysing the latest HMRC trade statistics. Anna Tobin reports

Minette Batters, the National Farmers Union president, says the new Government must do everything in its power to avoid the UK having to operate on WTO terms following Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The representative of the UK’s largest manufacturing exporter, the Chemical Industries Association (CIA) is calling for a frictionless free trade agreement to protect the industry through Brexit and beyond. Anna Tobin reports

Business organisations have been quick to respond to the general election results. Anna Tobin investigates what they had to say

One in five UK organisations could make insurance claims linked to a disorderly Brexit and many will be unsuccessful, warns insurance governance expert Mactavish. Anna Tobin reports

A quarter of business leaders want training in how to deal with Brexit, according to new research from Hitachi Capital Business Finance. Anna Tobin reports

Wendy Clarkson, managing director of West Midlands-based Christmas decoration supplier and installer Fizzco, says Brexit is just another obstacle that her small business has had to work around

GlobalData’s latest Brexit tracker, Brexit and the Healthcare Industry – Implications for Pharma, Q3 2019 reveals that the pharma industry is divided on how Brexit will playout. Anna Tobin reports

Hiring confidence amongst UK employers is at its lowest for seven years, finds a new report by recruitment business ManpowerGroup. Anna Tobin reports

GDP growth is forecast to slow from 1.3% in 2019 to 1% in 2020, the smallest increase since 2009, finds the latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) economic forecast. Anna Tobin reports

The November data from the Ulster Bank Northern Ireland PMI IHS Markit report shows business activity in the region at its lowest in seven years. Anna Tobin reports

The Institute of Directors publishes a series of papers calling on the next Government to concentrate on details of international trade. Anna Tobin reports

Bank business lending is expected to rise by just 2.1% in 2020. The smallest increase since 2015. Anna Tobin reports

Irish consumer sentiment rose significantly in November as the risks of an imminent No-Deal Brexit subsided. Anna Tobin reports

New animal import rules and rules regarding the trade of plant, seed, and timber come into force next week. These new SRSF regulations should continue to apply even if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, says Defra. Anna Tobin reports

The latest IHS MARKIT / CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI finds output, new orders and employment in manufacturing are all falling, and that stocks are depleted and purchasing has reduced following the Brexit delay. Anna Tobin reports

Based on the UK agreeing a satisfactory trade deal with the EU, the latest CBI economic forecast predicts that GDP growth for the next two years will remain modest at 1.3% in 2019 and 1.2% in 2020 and pick up to 1.8% in 2021. If a deal isn’t reached the picture is much less rosy. Anna Tobin reports

The quarter-four MakeUK/BDO Manufacturing Outlook finds Britain’s manufacturers are ending the year at a standstill, a result of the political uncertainty and downturn in major global markets. Anna Tobin reports

National Australia Bank is applying to open a subsidiary in Paris to help improve its links with European markets ahead of Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that UK car manufacturing output fell -4% in October. Anna Tobin reports

The latest CBI survey has found that sentiment has declined in both the business and professional and consumer service sectors. Anna Tobin reports

The latest JobsOutlook, published by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) finds employers’ confidence in the UK economy at its lowest level since 2016. Anna Tobin reports

The Gartner CMO Spend Survey for 2019-2020 finds that UK marketing budgets are at a five-year low, largely as a result of Brexit uncertainty. Anna Tobin reports

The Chemical Industries Association’s (CIA) Britain at work manifesto calls on the next Government to adopt its proposals to help shield the UK’s biggest manufacturing export industry from Brexit turbulence. Anna Tobin reports

The Quarterly Recruitment Outlook, published by the British Chambers of Commerce and TotalJobs, finds businesses struggling to fill vacancies. The BCC calls for Government intervention in the lead up to Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The owner of Jet2 and  Jet2holidays and fresh produce distributor Fowler Welch, Dart Group’s interim results show a profit rise, but much rests on proposed Brexit framework. Anna Tobin reports

Bibby Financial Services quarter three SME Confidence Tracker shows that 54% of UK SMEs were not prepared for Brexit before the October 31 deadline. Anna Tobin reports

Brexit in the UK and the political dynamics surrounding President Trump in the USA have caused a slump in business travel on both sides of the Atlantic finds SalesTrip. Anna Tobin reports

The latest Scottish Property Monitor for Winter 2019 shows buoyant property sales north of the border, despite Brexit fears. Anna Tobin reports

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling on whoever forms the next Government to get back to business. Anna Tobin reports

The Quarterly International Trade Outlook for quarter three 2019, published by the British Chambers of Commerce and DHL shows a slide in manufacturing exports. Anna Tobin reports

Brexit, the impending general election and a seasonal slowdown are hitting house sales finds the October 2019 RICS UK Residential Market Survey. Anna Tobin reports

The latest retail sales figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that in the three months to October 2019, the quantity bought in retail sales saw the slowest growth since April 2018. Anna Tobin reports

Avoiding No Deal and delivering a confidence boost to business through action on infrastructure, immigration, skills and business costs must be at the forefront of the next Government’s agenda says the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). Anna Tobin reports

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Labour Market Outlook finds that employers remain optimistic about staffing, despite Brexit uncertainty. Anna Tobin reports

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show the first quarterly estimate of gross domestic product (GDP) from July to September 2019 is growing at its slowest rate since 2010. Anna Tobin reports

The FSB Small Business Index reports a fall in self-employed revenue growth and finds that optimism among the self-employed has now been negative for five consecutive quarters. Anna Tobin reports

Moody’s Investors Service has switched its outlook on the UK’s rating to negative from stable. Anna Tobin reports

Vintage fashion retailer TrueVintage.com warns that rising costs related to a No-Deal Brexit could be passed on to consumers and be disastrous for the industry. Anna Tobin reports

Research by Cambridge & Counties Bank finds that 72% of UK holidaymakers expect a boom in UK staycations in 2020. Anna Tobin reports

Brexit could create regional standards in food safety that could lead to border posts at the Scottish borders warns the University of Sussex’s UK Trade Policy Observatory. Anna Tobin investigates

The society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) latest figures show that new car registrations in the UK dropped -6.7% in October, as consumer confidence remains weak. Anna Tobin reports

The latest IHS MARKIT/CIPS UK construction PMI reveals that overall volumes of construction work have fallen for the sixth consecutive month. Anna Tobin reports

InterTradeIreland’s latest All-Island Business Monitor finds that Brexit remains the single biggest challenge for small Irish businesses. Anna Tobin reports

The Chemical Industries Association’s latest survey of chemical businesses shows a drop in sales and exports. Anna Tobin reports

The Brexit extension is welcomed by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), but it highlights the damage the continuing uncertainty over Brexit is doing to small businesses. Anna Tobin reports

The Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme must be expanded now to help solve the labour supply problems hitting the fruit and veg business, says the National Farmers Union (NFU). Anna Tobin reports

DEFRA’s new Maritime and Fisheries Fund is designed to provide a boost for the English fishing and seafood industry ahead of Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

Nearly a third of freelancers claim that Brexit has negatively impacted their business. Anna Tobin reports

The plan to block UK citizens from accessing or registering .eu domain names has been suspended following the news that the EU and the UK have agreed a deal. Anna Tobin reports

Independent provider of global pricing data and market intelligence on food ingredients and soft commodities, Mintec Global, has published its first Brexit Food Price Index to track how Brexit is impacting food prices. Anna Tobin reports

The latest Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) Future Trends survey, published today, reveals that workload predictions in September 2019 were at their lowest point since July 2016 and that many architects are not prepared for a No Deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has produced a No Deal advice pack to help farmers, food producers and rural businesses prepare for a No Deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reiterates its call for small businesses to be given financial assistance not just advice to help them negotiate Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The UK beef industry is pleading with the Government to protect it from No Deal. Anna Tobin reports

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed a deal with the EU. He still has to get it through parliament, but what has been the response from farming and business? Anna Tobin reports

The latest SMMT Member Brexit Survey finds a third of the UK auto industry is already cutting jobs in anticipation of the end of free and frictionless trade. Anna Tobin reports

Grocery market share figures published by research, data and insight firm Kantar show that consumers are spending more on preparing for Halloween than Brexit day. Anna Tobin reports

Research by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and Bibby Financial Services finds that Brexit uncertainty and exchange rate volatility are holding back many UK exporters. Anna Tobin reports

The AIB Brexit Sentiment Index finds that Brexit uncertainty has led to continued negative sentiment amongst SMEs in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Anna Tobin reports

Newly published research by UKinbound and Canterbury Christ Church University shows that the Government’s proposed post-Brexit immigration reforms have the potential to severely destabilise the UK’s tourism industry. Anna Tobin reports

The latest Government video highlights that anyone working in the EU or EEA following Brexit may need a visa, work permit or resident’s permit and in some cases all three. Anna Tobin reports

The Government has altered the tariffs that will apply in the event of a No Deal Brexit following pressure from business. Anna Tobin reports

The 2019 Institute for Fiscal Studies Green Budget finds economic uncertainty triggered by Brexit has been hugely damaging to private sector investment. Anna Tobin reports

Dairy Council Northern Ireland warns that a No Deal Brexit will put Northern Ireland’s dairy industry into dire straights. Anna Tobin reports

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling on the Department for International Trade and the Treasury to give small firms export vouchers to promote exporting in the wake of Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) welcomes Government moves to restrict parallel exporting in the wake of Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association’s (PLSA) survey of pension schemes finds that the sector is aware of the Brexit risks and the majority are taking steps to mitigate them. Anna Tobin reports

The British Horse Racing Authority outlines its main concerns about how Brexit will impact the industry. Anna Tobin reports

The latest IHS MARKIT / CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI finds new orders, output and jobs falling, but purchasing and input stockpiling rising as Brexit preparations restart. Anna Tobin reports

Enterprise software company UiPath’s latest white paper outlines how automation could ease the UK’s exit from the EU. Anna Tobin reports

The Government is not doing enough to support small businesses through Brexit says the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). Anna Tobin reports

Yourgene has moved its quality accreditation process to the Netherlands to minimise any disruption to its operations caused by Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

Giftware designer and retailer Rex London is delighted to have won the Queen’s Award for export growth but warns that a No Deal Brexit will put extra strain on the business. Anna Tobin reports

DFS Brexit prep continues as the furniture manufacturer and retailer announces a rise in profits, but warns of a challenging trading environment ahead. Anna Tobin reports

The latest monthly CBI Industrial Trends Survey has found that UK manufacturing output was flat in the three months to September and with Brexit around the corner the sector is not feeling positive. Anna Tobin reports

Make UK/BDO Regional Manufacturing Outlook finds regions most reliant on auto industry will be the worst hit by a No Deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

Brexit uncertainty and the effects of the US-China trade war resulted in a poor performance in the UK wealth market in 2018 and this is set to continue predicts data and analytics company GlobalData. Anna Tobin reports

Newly published research by Make UK, The Manufacturers’ Organisation, and Santander finds that the dominant market for UK goods is still the EU, which boasts seven of the top UK export destinations. Anna Tobin reports

Over a third of boardroom and c-level individuals fear a No Deal Brexit and 15% believe it will have a positive impact. Anna Tobin reports

UK universities are concerned about the risks of a No Deal Brexit on student and staff recruitment and research, but most are prepared for it, finds universities representative body Universities UK. Anna Tobin reports

Releasing it’s half-year results to July 27 2019, the John Lewis Partnership warned that it expects a No Deal Brexit to have a significant impact on the business and it is hedging currency and stockpiling in preparation. Anna Tobin reports

Brexit was a prime concern of respondents to the BPIF Printing Outlook Printing Industry Trends Survey for quarter three 2019. Anna Tobin reports

The British Chambers of Commerce has found that 41% of UK firms have not done a Brexit risk assessment. Anna Tobin reports

The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) and the UK Chemical Industries Association (CIA) warn that hundreds of chemical substances may not be available on the EU market after 31 October. Anna Tobin reports

The British Medical Association (BMA), the trade union and professional body for doctors in the UK believes that a No Deal Brexit will hit drug supplies, staffing and healthcare. Anna Tobin reports

A No-Deal Brexit could see Irish online shoppers abandon purchasing online from UK retailers, as it would mean that they lose their current consumer rights warns Irelands Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. Anna Tobin reports

The Road Haulage Association welcomes £30 million Government investment to get UK ports ready for Brexit, but fears it won’t be enough to stop tailbacks. Anna Tobin reports

The Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom MP has just announced a £10 million grant scheme to help businesses get ready for Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency confirms dozens of UK firms’ move to the Netherlands to minimise the harmful effects of Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) is demanding that the Government covers the additional costs that musicians will incur when travelling as a result of a no-deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Country Land and Business Association and the Tenant Farmers Association urge the Prime Minister to mitigate the risks to the agricultural sector of a No Deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

Insurance premium finance company Premium Credit has found that businesses are focusing less now on Brexit stockpiling than they were in the lead up to the March deadline because they can’t take the hit on cashflow. Anna Tobin reports

Think tank the Institute for Government’s latest white paper Voting on Brexit: Parliament’s role before 31 October, outlines why a No-Deal Brexit will be much harder for Parliament to stop second time around. Anna Tobin reports

Boris Johnson has announced a shake-up of immigration rules to fast-track scientists into the UK following Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

As the Government announces plans to launch a £100 million No Deal Brexit public awareness campaign, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) demands action not words. Anna Tobin reports

A new report from the CBI What comes next? The business analysis of no deal preparations based on a comprehensive study of existing plans laid out by the Government, the EU, member states and business shows that no one is anywhere near ready for a No Deal Brexit on 31 October. Anna Tobin reports

From farming to finance, senior figures across British industry are pleading with the new Prime Minister Boris Johnson to take No Deal off the table. Anna Tobin reports

The Chemical Industries Association’s latest quarterly business survey of member companies reports increased job losses and a fall in exports. Anna Tobin reports

A survey by the Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA) and cloud-accounting software provider FreeAgent found that 44% of all self-employed workers believe that Brexit will have a negative impact on their business. Anna Tobin reports

The CBI is predicting GDP growth of 1.4% in 2019 and 1.5% in 2020, providing a no-deal Brexit is avoided. Anna Tobin reports

Gwyn Howells, the chief executive of Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC), warns that a no-deal Brexit could be catastrophic for the Welsh meat industry. Anna Tobin reports

The Institute of Export & International Trade and Bibby Financial Services have joined forces to support UK importers and exporters deal with currency fluctuations

The British Chambers of Commerce’s latest economic forecast downgrades its growth forecast for 2020 to 1% (from 1.3%) and to 1.2% (from 1.4%) in 2021. Anna Tobin reports

Businesses are not at all prepared for a No-Deal Brexit warns the Institute of Directors (IoD) as it pleads with them to start No-Deal contingency planning immediately. Anna Tobin reports

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and the Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Europe (COBCOE) have expanded to create a stronger support network for trade between the UK and the EU. Anna Tobin reports

The Quarter 2 Manufacturing Outlook survey, published today by Make UK, the manufacturers’ organization and business advisory firm BDO LLP, has found that Brexit uncertainty is leading foreign manufacturers to seek new suppliers outside of the UK. Anna Tobin reports

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has published a Small Business Plan for Europe and is urging MEPs to deliver on it. Anna Tobin reports

A report by UK law firm Penningtons Manches has found that foreign investment is still pouring into UK tech. Anna Tobin reports

Data from Barclaycard shows the Brexit delay encouraged consumers to start spending again, but six in ten consumers expect no change to their spending plans in May as they remain cautious. Anna Tobin reports

The UK Powerhouse study by law firm Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), predicts that in quarter four 2020, Milton Keynes, Reading and Oxford will be in the top three locations for economic growth. Anna Tobin reports

The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM), the professional body for the UK’s musicians, has today published its fourth report into the effects of Brexit on the music profession. Anna Tobin reports

The UK Government is inviting views on carbon pricing in the UK after Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The science and tech industries could be worth an extra £14 billion a year to the UK economy by 2025, but the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) warns that the brain drain of STEM students to the EU and the rest of the world must be stopped. Anna Tobin reports

Research carried out by the University of Cardiff’s Welsh Economy Research Unit shows a clear link between a business’s success and its adoption of superfast broadband. Anna Tobin reports

Ten percent more UK tourists are choosing to holiday outside of the EU this summer than last, finds Thomas Cook’s 2019 Holiday Report. Anna Tobin reports

Figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal that British car production dropped by 14.4% in March, representing the tenth monthly fall in a row. And a No-Deal Brexit could make things worse. Anna Tobin reports

Brexit poses the biggest risk to the UK’s flourishing fintech industry, finds a report entitled the UK Fintech Revolution published by international recruitment consultancy Robert Walters and market analysis experts Vacancy Soft. Anna Tobin reports

The CBI Monthly Growth Indicator showed that economic activity in the private sector was flat in the quarter to April, and it’s only expected to pick up slightly over the summer. Anna Tobin reports

European law firm Fieldfisher is merging with Irish firm McDowell Purcell, partly to ensure the smooth running of its business following Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s April JobsOutlook shows that employers are looking to recruit more temporary workers in a bid to retain some control amidst the economic uncertainty. Anna Tobin reports

The Santander Trade Barometer reveals that UK businesses are scaling back investment as a result of the ongoing economic uncertainty. Anna Tobin reports

Global credit rating agency, DBRS, is sticking with its AAA Issuer Rating for the UK, despite the political and economic disruptions unleashed by the referendum. Anna Tobin reports

UK dairies producing mozzarella would be faced with unviable tariffs in the event of a No-Deal Brexit, warns AHDB Dairy. Anna Tobin reports

A white paper published by Matthias Holweg, automotive expert and professor of operations management at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford highlights the damage the Brexit process has done to the UK car industry. Anna Tobin reports

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has asked the EU for a Brexit support package for beef farmers struggling with the continuing Brexit uncertainty. Anna Tobin reports

Travellers had shown reluctance to book summer holidays amidst Brexit uncertainty, but the extension of Article 50 should boost bookings forecasts ABTA. Anna Tobin reports

The latest SME Confidence Tracker from Bibby Financial Services finds that over half of SMEs predict that the UK economy will go into recession this year. Anna Tobin reports

Consumer association Which? warns that Brexit could lead to the UK being flooded with unsafe goods. Anna Tobin reports

The National Farmers Union president Minette Batters welcomed the Article 50 extension but urges the Government to use the time to work towards a satisfactory deal and end the ongoing uncertainty. Anna Tobin reports

After hours of deliberation, the EU has agreed to extend the UK’s leaving date until 31 October 2019, but there is the option to leave earlier if a deal can be reached before this new deadline. Anna Tobin reports

With the backing of senior members of UK manufacturing, Stephen Phipson, CEO of the manufacturers’ organisation, Make UK, has written to the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition calling for article 50 to be revoked if the Government can not agree a deal to pass in Parliament.

Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: Winning the Global Race to Market, a new report by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and Frost Sullivan warns that Brexit could stall the UK’s lead in its bid to be the first country in the world to mass market self-driving cars. Anna Tobin reports

An analysis by Santander Corporate & Commercial of the latest ONS export data reveals the fastest growing export markets for UK goods in 2018. Anna Tobin reports

The Financial Conduct Authority and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission today announced they have agreed two Memoranda of Understanding to ensure there is continuity between the two entities once the UK leaves the EU. Anna Tobin reports

A survey carried out by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme with members of the National Care Association, shows that the end of freedom of movement will cause critical issues for care home recruitment. Anna Tobin reports

Standard & Poor’s latest economic research Countdown To Brexit: What Might Have Been For The UK Economy makes grim reading. Anna Tobin reports

As another week of Brexit uncertainty draws to a close, the Chemical Industries Association calls on politicians to agree on a deal to give businesses the certainty they need to invest. Anna Tobin reports

Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey of businesses across the region shows some promising signs of stability and improvement, despite the economic uncertainty caused by Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

Research by Marketdojo shows that Brexit is pushing UK businesses to focus on looking for UK suppliers. Anna Tobin reports

A Brand Dialogue workshop at the RAC Club in Pall Mall yesterday looked at the impact Brexit will have on Geographic Indicator (GI) status goods. Anna Tobin reports

The latest CBI Growth Indicator shows the balance of private sector firms reporting growth is at -5%, the lowest in six years. Anna Tobin reports

The latest IHS MARKIT / CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI is at a 13-month high spurred by Brexit-related stockpiling. Anna Tobin reports

Speaking at the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference, Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said Westminister has let business down over Brexit and urged the Government to make amends. Anna Tobin reports

At a press breakfast, Dr Elke König, chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) said that she sees no imminent risk to financial stability from a no-deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

A study by Ireland’s Economic and Social Research Institute and the Irish Department of Finance looks at how different Brexit scenarios will impact on Ireland’s economy. Anna Tobin looks at the conclusions

Speaking at the Welsh food conference BlasCymru/TasteWales the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths announced a £22 million funding package to help the Welsh food and drink industry post-Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The EU now views a no-deal Brexit on 12 April as highly likely and now claims that its no-deal preparations are complete. Anna Tobin reports

The Road Haulage Association is advising its members that carry pharmaceuticals not to book Government secured ferry capacity between 29 March and 18 April, because they would have to cover the costs of missed shipments. Anna Tobin reports

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady and CBI Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn have written a joint letter to the Prime Minister Theresa May urging her to change her approach on Brexit and  they have requested an urgent meeting to discuss their concerns. Anna Tobin reports

The latest CBI Industrial Trends Survey finds that UK manufacturing output growth in the quarter to March was at its weakest since May 2018. Anna Tobin reports

Brexit has hit employee confidence and IT finance specialists are most in demand this year, finds Robert Walters’ latest Salary Survey. Anna Tobin reports

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) today downgraded its growth expectations for the UK economy and Brexit uncertainty is largely to blame. Anna Tobin reports

Over 20% of employees, questioned as part of research by finance company Premium Credit, claim that their firms are stockpiling for Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

CBI Northern Ireland says that the Government’s proposals for the Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland border in a no-deal Brexit are ill thought out. Anna Tobin reports

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) says that it is time for the political shenanigans to stop and for the Government to find a Brexit solution that protects business, communities and the economy. Anna Tobin reports

The National Farmers Union (NFU) highlights that some farming sectors have been given preferential treatment in the Government’s no-deal import tariff schedule and that cereal, eggs, fruit and veg suppliers will suffer

Unless Article 50 is revoked and the UK’s exit from the EU is delayed, the UK is now set to leave the EU without a deal on March 29 and the Government has published the tariffs that will apply to imported goods from that date. Anna Tobin reports

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has warned that potato exports to the EU could cease with immediate effect if the UK exits the EU without a deal. Anna Tobin reports

Think tank New Financial’s newly published report Brexit & the City – the impact so far finds that the UK’s disorderly exit from the EU has caused irreversible damage to the UK’s banking and finance sectors. Anna Tobin reports

The likelihood of a no-deal Brexit is being taken so seriously across the Channel that the Directorate General of Customs and Excise in France has produced customs guidelines to prepare traders for the UK exiting the EU without a deal. Anna Tobin reports

A study by Right Management, the global career and talent development division of ManpowerGroup, highlights the insecurities that employees feel about Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

UK border crossings are completely unprepared for the UK exiting the EU says the Road Haulage Association. Anna Tobin reports

A delayed Brexit or a no-deal Brexit combined with blue-collar staff shortages could see the UK economy lose out on £22 billion a year by 2024, claims study by workforce management software provider Quinyx in collaboration with Development Economics and Censuswide. Anna Tobin reports

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) quarterly SBI published today shows confidence among smaller firms remains negative. The FSB calls on the Chancellor to help improve this. Anna Tobin reports

The IHS MARKIT / CIPS UK CONSTRUCTION PMI® shows that UK construction has fallen for the first time in eleven months with Brexit uncertainty partly to blame. Anna Tobin reports

The president of the National Farmers Union (NFU) Minette Batters has made it clear that a potential US trade deal can not result in a drop in food standards in the UK. Anna Tobin reports

Post-Brexit, the UK will remain a member of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement, allowing bids to be continued to be made for overseas public contracts. Anna Tobin reports

HMRC is urging businesses to take these three steps now to ensure that they can continue to trade smoothly with the EU in the event of a No-Deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has just updated its Brexit guidance for the firms it regulates. Anna Tobin reports

If the UK exits the EU without a deal in a matter of weeks, EU exporters are required to use pallets that meet the EU requirements for third-party countries and DEFRA has conceded that there are nowhere near enough of these available in the UK. Anna Tobin reports

Any form of Brexit will negatively impact the NHS, but leaving without a deal is the worst possible scenario, concludes the Health Policy Review. Anna Tobin reports

International life sciences consultancy Alacrita surveyed C-suite biotech executives in pre-eminent US companies and found that most feel that Brexit will make the UK a less attractive market. Anna Tobin reports

The Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) latest quarterly Service Sector Survey has found that optimism amongst business, professional and consumer service sectors has fallen sharply. Anna Tobin reports

The annual Startup Outlook Report has found that while many UK startups have deep concerns about Brexit, it isn’t set to dent their expansion plans. Anna Tobin reports

The world’s largest chemical business BASF plc has a large network of companies in the UK. Over the last few weeks, it has run a series of workshops for those working in its supply chain to ensure that its UK infrastructure is as ready as possible for Brexit. Anna Tobin reports from one such event

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) will recognise three London clearing houses in the event of a No-Deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Irish state economic development agency Enterprise Ireland is offering grants of up to €5,000 to help its clients prepare for Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The European Commission today stepped up its no-deal planning for EU businesses with a particular focus on customs and indirect taxation. Anna Tobin reports

The University of Oxford is now preparing for a no-deal Brexit and is advising its staff and students how the UK exiting the EU without a deal could impact on them and the institution. Anna Tobin reports

The latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC)/DHL Quarterly International Trade Outlook has found that the percentage of manufacturing and services exporters expecting to raise their prices has risen over the last quarter. Anna Tobin reports

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has published a list of twenty questions that businesses need urgently answered to prepare for a no-deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

With just a few weeks to go until Brexit, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) fears that small businesses are running out of time to prepare for all the changes that it will entail. Anna Tobin reports

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is urging UK-based manufacturers and formulators to take action now to continue to comply with REACH in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Road Haulage Association says that the allocation of ECMT permits falls woefully short of what is needed. Anna Tobin reports

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, exporters of live animals and animal products to the EU will need to obtain Export Health Certificates and the Government has just published a list of professionals certified to provide these. Anna Tobin reports

The Centre for Economic Performance has found that, as a result of Brexit, UK firms are investing billions in the EU. Anna Tobin reports

Many companies are setting up additional companies in the EU or moving their headquarters to an EU country in a bid to minimise the negative fall-out they expect Brexit to have on their businesses. Anna Tobin looks at who is going where

Tomorrow sees the launch of a new Europe-wide safe medicines system, but the UK could be forced to leave this within weeks in the event of a no-deal Brexit says the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. Anna Tobin reports

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission warns UK companies operating in Australia that Brexit could impact on their AFS licensing arrangements. Anna Tobin reports

As the Bank of England downgrades its growth forecasts for 2019, the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) demands that no-deal is taken off the table. Anna Tobin reports

Dr. Liam Fox MP, secretary of state for International Trade, told the International Trade Committee yesterday that trade deals will not necessarily roll over post-Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

The Road Haulage Association says that the Government’s newly announced plans for simplified customs checks in the event of no-deal won’t do much to ease the Brexit pain for the haulage industry. Anna Tobin reports

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, HMRC has announced that customs checks will be simplified. Anna Tobin reports

Releasing it’s quarter three financial results today, Irish low-cost airline Ryanair revealed that it has put its No-Deal Brexit contingency plans into action. Anna Tobin reports

A survey of 1,200 company directors by the Institute of Directors (IoD) has found that 29% feel that they may have no choice but to shift operations abroad as a result of Brexit. Anna Tobin reports

Gloucestershire-based global engineering and scientific technology company Renishaw announced in its 2019 interim report, published today, that as part of its Brexit contingency planning it’s establishing an Irish distribution centre. Anna Tobin reports

The German-based Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) now sees no prospect of an orderly Brexit. Anna Tobin reports